LED Bulb Thread

If comparing one standard energy saver bulb (CFL) to an LED bulb, then the LED bulb will be roughly twice as efficient, however both are way more efficient than halogen and incandescent.

I have CFL, LED and halogen in my home at the moment and while yes a single LED GU10 bulb is more efficient than a single CFL bulb, you'll need at least 4 GU10 LED bulbs to light a room where one CFL bulb would have been adequate before due to the difference in beam angles and max light output. Hence you need to take into account the number of bulbs you'd require for a given room when calculating efficiency/cost savings.

CFL and LED bulbs have very different characteristics also. LED bulbs, like halogen and incandescent bulbs, achieve pretty much 100% brightness instantly but the best standard fit CFL bulbs I've come across can only manage about 70% brightness after 1 second and 100% brightness after a minute or so. LED bulbs (at least on paper anyway) have a longer life than CFL and can handle more on/off cycles.

Also, where a 360 degree (or close to) beam angle is required, such as in a table lamp, LED just isn't practical right now.
 
Imy said:
Also, where a 360 degree (or close to) beam angle is required, such as in a table lamp, LED just isn't practical right now.
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I'm using LED lights in all of our table lamps, a 250 degree angle is plenty wide enough.
Add a lamp shade and the light is diffused to 360.
 
Trying out some 'Megaman GU10 7 Watt LED 2800k PAR16' at the moment and must confess these are the best bulbs I've found to date. Still pricey at £10 a pop (through a mate's trade account too).
 
SDK^ said:
http://www.ledhut.co.uk/led-bulbs/e27-led-bulbs/new-4-watt-e27-led-candle-shape-bulb.html

Other mounts available.

http://www.ledhut.co.uk/led-bulbs/e14-led-bulbs/3-8-watt-e14-led-candle-shape-bulb.html
http://www.ledhut.co.uk/led-bulbs/b15-small-bayonet-cap/4-watt-b15-led-candle-shape-bulb.html
http://www.ledhut.co.uk/led-bulbs/b22-led-bulbs/new-4-watt-b22-led-candle-shape-bulb.html
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Yeah saw those before and dismissed them for being way too underpowered for my table lamps.

Edit: this one is a lot brighter with only 5 degree reduction http://www.ledhut.co.uk/led-bulbs/b22-led-bulbs/7-watt-b22-high-output-standard-shape-led-bulb.html

Performance is still far below that of what CFL is capable of though.

Would be interested to see the light pattern in any case. Could you possibly take a photo of them in action?
 
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Imy said:
Yeah saw those before and dismissed them for being way too underpowered for my table lamps.

Edit: this one is a lot brighter with only 5 degree reduction http://www.ledhut.co.uk/led-bulbs/b22-led-bulbs/7-watt-b22-high-output-standard-shape-led-bulb.html

Performance is still far below that of what CFL is capable of though.

Would be interested to see the light pattern in any case. Could you possibly take a photo of them in action?
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http://www.integral-led.com/news/re...d-bulb-omni-lamp-classic-globe-gls-and-candle

Read my opinion of them a few posts back.
 
Imy said:
Yeah saw those before and dismissed them for being way too underpowered for my table lamps.
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250 lumens is powerful enough for table lamps. I have 2 bedside lamps in a big double bedroom (16ft x 14ft) and they do a good job lighting that.
 
Imy said:
Edit: this one is a lot brighter with only 5 degree reduction http://www.ledhut.co.uk/led-bulbs/b22-led-bulbs/7-watt-b22-high-output-standard-shape-led-bulb.html

Performance is still far below that of what CFL is capable of though.

Would be interested to see the light pattern in any case. Could you possibly take a photo of them in action?
Click to expand...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ChiChinLigh...=UTF8&qid=1394132344&sr=1-1&keywords=led+bulb

This one is over 1000 lumens so allegedly twice as bright

or
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lighting-Bright-Samsung-Incandescent-1080lm/dp/B008WHBDQI/ref=pd_cp_light_0
 
Not all table lamps allow the same amount of light to pass through their shades. Mine for example are designed around 60W equivalent bulbs and need about 600 lumens to work well.

Those ChiChinLighting ones look powerful enough but like most I've seen are not omni-directional so would do a fantastic job of lighting a spot on the ceiling but do a relatively poor job of the table below. They don't look like they'd be warm enough either for my tastes. Judging by their cooling design they are meant to be down-facing.

I'd be happy to be proved wrong though but I'd like to see photos first.

There is of course the Philips Master LED bulb which on paper looks like it'd work well in any table lamp but the price is what makes it not very practical.
 
Couple of questions. Does anyone have experience with g4 led bulbs? I have 4 light fittings that take g4's and the damn things expire so quickly I am considering led replacements. At £120 to get enough to replace all the bulbs in the 4 fitments it's not cheap.

Also has anyone used energylightbulbs.co.uk? If so, any feedback on them appreciated before I go ahead and order.
 
I've just fitted G4 LEDs to my cooker hood, they lasted about half an hour before getting very very hot and then stopped working.

Cheap ebay tat the cause or something else? The halogens that came out were 20w 12v bulbs so I can't see why else it would be.
 
Caged said:
Trip report on the Integral GLS lamps - I think the highest praise I can give them is that they are totally indistinguishable from the lamp they are trying to mimic, other than the lack of dimming.

There's no perceivable flicker, the colour temperature is spot on, and the brightness definitely matches the claims.
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Any chance you could take a photo of them in action?
 
It wasn't in my house but if I remember then I will. But if you just imagine what a 'normal' bulb looks like then it's like that.
 
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